Tag: action

Cinema Smorgasbord – George Kennedy is My Copilot – The Dirty Dozen (1968) (and Murder on Location – Part 1)

George Kennedy wrote a book! In fact, George Kennedy wrote THREE books, with two being mystery novels featuring him playing himself and on THIS episode of GEORGE KENNEDY IS MY COPILOT we’re talking about the first half of 1983’s MURDER ON LOCATION featuring intrigue, suspense and lots of dialogue about BOOBS. Then we’re going long on Robert Aldrich’s classic 1968 men-on-a-mission WWII classic THE DIRTY DOZEN featuring Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine and a dozen convicted criminals sent on a suicide mission. Filled with tough guy character actors and lots of bros being bros. Any good? LET’S FIND OUT.

Cinema Smorgasbord – We Do Our Own Stunts – My Lucky Stars (1985)

We’re taking a brief respite from American films on WE DO OUR OWN STUNTS to return to Hong Kong (and Japan!) for the sequel to the wildly popular WINNERS & SINNERS, it’s the even MORE wildly popular MY LUCKY STARS from 1986! Starring the 5 Lucky Stars (minus John Shum, but with extra bonus Eric Tsang), it’s bookended with some wild Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao action sequences and the meaty center is full of silly comedy – and lots of uncomfortable stuff because of course there is. How does it stack up to the first film, and exactly how much Jackie do we get in this one? LISTEN AND FIND OUT!

Cinema Smorgasbord – Cinema Smorgasbord Sells Out – Lost Bullet (2020)

One more episode beaming straight from Newfoundland (on Doug’s end) and the BOYS decide to check out the first in the epic French action trilogy currently available on Netflix: 2020’s LOST BULLET! Some great fights and plenty of practical car stunts, but how does it stack up to other international action classics of the last few years? WE’LL TALK ABOUT IT! We also get into some of our favorite French action films because WHY NOT? Enjoy!

Cinema Smorgasbord – Wild in the Streets – Mean Frank and Crazy Tony (1973)

One a very special REMOTE episode of WILD IN THE STREETS, Doug calls in from Newfoundland to discuss the mixed up crime comedy MEAN FRANK AND CRAZY TONY from 1973. Featuring Lee Van Cleef as a tight-lipped mobster and Tony Lo Bianco as the wannabe wise-guy who worships him, the two get into all sorts of trouble, including an impressive car chase (“Mon dieu!”), a factory shootout and more power drill mayhem than you can throw an apple core at. There’s plenty of action, Edwige Fenech and Jean Rochefort pop up in supporting roles, and you even get a horn-heavy score from Riz Ortolani. What’s not to love? Listen and find out!

Cinema Smorgasbord – We Do Our Own Stunts – Cannonball Run II (1984)

Jackie Chan is back in Hollywood (against his better judgment) and is joining a cavalcade of stars including Burt Reynolds, Dom Deluise, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Marilu Henner, Shirley MaClaine and MANY MORE – including ol’ blue eyes himself Frank Sinatra – in the cross-country race (?) comedy (?) CANNONBALL RUN II which brings back all the things you know and love(?) about the first film, and.. well, that’s just about it. It’s pretty much the same thing. Except there’s an orangutan this time, and Jackie has been teamed up with Richard Kiel just to make sure we all know he’s extra small and (once again) bafflingly Japanese. Listen to Liam’s blood pressure rise in REAL TIME as he describes his time with the film. ENJOY!

Cinema Smorgasbord – Eric Roberts is the Man – 12th Annual On Cinema Oscar Special (2025) (/w Zach Weiss)

I’ve got the OSCAR fever, hope you got it too! On a returning ERIC ROBERTS is the MAN we’re joined by guest – and ON CINEMA, AT THE CINEMA expert Zach Weiss – to discuss Eric Roberts’ recent appearance on the 12th Annual Oscar Special. We go deep on the history of the bizarre franchise created by Tim Heidecker and Gregg Turkington, as well as its various spin-offs, and try to explain just why the heck people would spend hours of their time watching this stuff (a questions we’re VERY familiar with on ERITFM!). Just in case that doesn’t whet your whistle we also have a look at an episode of the action espionage TV show BURN NOTICE directed by Renny Harlin and featuring an ALL-STAR cast including Dean Cain, Kristanna Loken, and – of course- ERIC ROBERTS! All this and the latest Eric Roberts news IF YOU CAN HANDLE IT!

Cinema Smorgasbord – We Do Our Own Stunts – Wheels on Meals (1984)

Yuen Biao, Sammo Hung and Jackie Chan are headed to Barcelona, Spain in the 1984 action-comedy spectacular WHEELS ON MEALS, featuring Jackie and Yuen as food truck operators and Sammo as a hapless detective. Of course, we also get a pickpocket damsel in distress (Lola Forner), shenanigans in a mental hospital, car chases, foot chases and one of the best martial arts fights EVER between Jackie and kickboxer Benny “The Jet” Urquidez. We dive into the background and even spend some time chatting about Jackie Chan VIDEO GAMES. Lots to discuss, so let’s get to it!

Cinema Smorgasbord – Wild in the Streets – The Cynic, The Rat and The Fist (1977)

On this episode of WILD IN THE STREETS, Maurizio Merli is (former) Inspector Leonardo Tanzi, a retired cop constantly disciplined for his unusual (brutal) methods, which in this case involves faking his own death so he can take down the psychopathic Luigi ‘The Chinaman’ Maietto (Tomas Milian) and master criminal Frank Di Maggio (John Saxon) in Umberto Lenzi’s THE CYNIC, THE RAT AND THE FIST. Full of two-fisted action, and a “laser” wall you have to see to believe, there’s plenty to like – and be confused by – here, but is it any good? We talk about the good, the bad and the ugly (and try to decide exactly which character is meant to be the cynic/rat/fist) and will let you know. Enjoy!

Cinema Smorgasbord – Praising Kane – Jumpin Jack Flash (1986)

It’s the first episode of 2024 and PRAISING KANE is packed with wild Carol Kane content, starting with the hour long episode of Shelley Duvall’s TALL TALES & LEGENDS adapting the famous poem “Casey at the Bat”.. sort of! With Elliott Gould, Howard Cosell, Bob Uecker, Bill Macy and CAROL KANE! It’s plenty odd. Then we look at an episode of the 80s comedy crime series CRAZY LIKE A FOX /w Jack Warden and John Rubinstein, featuring Carol Kane guesting as a beleaguered secretary. Then it’s time for the main event, the Penny Marshall directed comedy-thriller JUMPIN JACK FLASH starring Whoopi Goldberg and a slew of famous faces in supporting roles- including Carol Kane! It’s a Liam O’Donnell childhood favorite, but does it hold up? Let’s find out!

Shame List Picture Show S8E20 – THE CROW (1994) feat. Austin Proctor and Jason Hillman

This week on The Shame List Picture Show, host Michael Viers is joined by Austin Proctor of the Frightmares Podcast and Jason Hillman of Lmnhill Studios to discuss The Crow. Austin is watching it for the first time (sort of), while Jason reflects on how it shaped his love for dark cinema. We’ll explore the tragic legacy of Brandon Lee, the film’s themes of grief and redemption, and dive into the upcoming 2024 remake. Don’t miss this insightful, re-recorded episode that promises to one-up our last outing!